The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-06-02

she dished up the supper as if serving ra
tions TO an enemy, and soon the family
were seated around the Widespread table
But the captains mood had changed; his
brow was clouded, and as cloudy sky af
fects landscape, 50 the captains cloudec
brow affected his family. The poor, waver
| ing smile left his wife's face; the boys wers
still; even Susie's chsttering tongue wa,
silent But not long, for glancing at The
faces Of Arst one and then another, she sud
denly exclaimed:
30 mother! look what papa bought me- y
And she held up for all to see string oi
blue beads
'Susie," said her father 81 thought you
| weren't to show 'em till tomorrow"
She laughed gleefully as she answered:
"Now they's all glad. And Ruthie, yor
you can wear 'em tomorrow"
Ruth smiled, and taking the beads put
them about Susie's neck, kissing her fondly
as she did 50.
Dear little Susie, how they ali loved her,
more now if possible than ever, since her
recovery from the terrible attack of fever
she had suffered during the past winter.
But, strange to say, the first serious trouble
in the captains family dated from this sick.
ness of Susie.
1t CHANGED when she became ill, the fami-
" doctor himself was confined to his bed
with rheumatism, and they were compelled
to employ young man who had been prac-
| ticing medicine few years in Clifton and
| its vicinity. He proved skillful, and by his
kindly attention won the affection of his lit
tie patient, and the esteem Of her mother;
and would, it is likely, have won the cap
tain's friendshipa as well, if that werthy man
had not noticed that his eldest daughter
seemed very attractive to the young ply
sician, and that the girl looked rather too
| favorably upon him.
The captain did not approve Of this. He
had his own plans for his daughters future,
and he generally carried out his plans
whether the object in his way were living
or inanimate object. In fact, rumor had
| it, that on that memorable fat boat trip the
captain had used violence in removing one
hamsn obstacle from his path. For the
truth Of this we can not vouch, but we do
endorse the opinion of his loud-voiced
friend in Clifton: That to get along with
the captain, you needed to keep on the right
| side Of him"
You may be sure his family were aware
Of this popularity, and perhaps that was
why that smile on his wife's lips was so un-
decided. However, so far all had been
pCdCOluI III LuC nc WIG MAS Qulc6
and yielding in her disposition; the children
too young for fragrant disobedience; but
Ruth, now eighteen, was beginning to form
opinions Of her own, and express them also.
And when her father, having settled with
DR.. Hargrove for his professional services,
received the friendly visits the young man
made with such marked coolness as to
make the guest uncomfortable; she in order
to show her disapproval, was kinder than
ever.
To say the captain was angry and sur
prised, would not half describe his state of
mind; indeed, l do not believe words could
do the subject justice, so will not attempt
it. But in brief conversation with Ruth
he told her, enforcing his threat with an
oath, that if she thought to throw Bob In
gram, with his hundred an sixty acres of
good land and a fine lot of stock, over for
that one-hoss doctor, she was mistaken, that
was all. He-the captain-would soon stop
that sort o. nonsense.
Ruth made no answer to this declaration;
but her eyes met his steadily, her lips shut
firmly, and her shapely head seemed more
erect than ever. Muttering something
between his closed lips her astonished
father walked out Of the room.
This scene had occurred about q month
previous to the opening of our story, and in
all this time Ruth and the doctor had met
but once, and then by accident, at least on
her part, at church. This was why Ruth
had spoken as she did about the shoes. She
believed they had been forgotten" pur-
posely. She was mistaken: the captain re-
sorted to no subterfuges; and when Ruth
treated Bob, who had spent every Sunday
evening at the house for few weeks,
rather coolly; he plainly showed by his own
cordiality, at least, the young man was a
welcome visitor.
But Bob Ingram was no fool, and besides
well aware of his own Importance, and al |
though Ruth's Indifference piqued him, as
she was, he knew, the prettiest girl in the |
neighborhood, he did net intend to run |
after one who plainly showed dislike to his |
when other pretty girls were |
ready and willing to smile on him. And |
this is what he was telling DR.. Hargrove as |
the two sat in the latter's Office in Clifton.
The result of this conversation between the |
young men will be explained as our story |
proceeds.
Meanwhile supper at the captains was
over, the evening labor done, and Ruth,
candle in hand, was about to go upstairs,
when her her father said:
"Ruth, 1 heard in town that Mary Ann
had run of with Hiram Stod-
dard"
''Run off ~ exclaimed Ruth, turning to
look at her father; "why, what forl''
ITO marry him, goose" was the reply.
Ruth laughed.
"Sure enough" she said, tswhat goose
am. Iwonder what the Squire'n do about
iti"
'T don't know what he'd do" answered
the captain, shut know what I'd do in such
q case"
''Well, what would you dor' questioned
MS daughter
''Shoot the fellow like a deg" said the
captain, savagely; land as for the girl -n
you'd shoot her, too, you cruel old dad!,
Ruth. That's fair warnin,.
The fellows had better keep away from
here. hadn't they, dada" And she ran up-
stairs laughing merrily.
The next morning being Sunday, the
wagon was brought to the front gate, and
Mrs. Stearns and the younger children,
With Tom, the eldest boy, as driver, set out
o meeting. Mrs. Stearns was a member of
he Methodist church, and the captain, who
a contempt for religion himself,
vas always ready to assist his wife in
,hurch matters, and insisted on the children
going to meetin' with mother" He was
rery liberal in giving to her church, too, and
-ery kind and patronizing to preachers,
cordially inviting them to his house and ;
them Hospitality, taking great
;redit to himself in so doing, and inwardly
expecting to be rewarded for them in the
lext world, if not in this. He prided him.
elf greatly on has wife's goodness, seeming
o think as he sometimes declared, that his
f<afo afofr- y g.. |
Ruth and her father watched the wagon ;
rive OFF with its nrecinns load and thar .